


Finally Home

by TheWillowTree



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Adorable, But mostly fluff, Character Analysis, F/F, Fluff, Hurt and comfort sometimes, Post Season 4, Some Humor, Spirit World Adventures!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-09-16 16:59:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9281324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWillowTree/pseuds/TheWillowTree
Summary: Korra and Asami have dealt with pain and struggle all through their lives. Three years is long enough. It's time for some peace and happiness.Mostly fluff, but will include character analysis and development. Will take place primarily in the Spirit World.Note: Chapters 1-4 have been heavily edited. Plotlines have changed drastically. Please read them!





	1. Home

**Author's Note:**

> Cheers to my first fic on this site!  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Chapters 1-3 have been edited. It was originally published in January, but I felt the need to adapt it more to my current writing style. A moderate amount has been changed, and will impact the coming chapters.

Light swirled upward into the sky, a coiling mass entwined with the stars. Dragon and bird spirits danced like kites, basking in their warmth. Green and yellow streams twisted together; the night, swirled of gold and velvet. The Republic City spirit portal was a sight that would live on for generations; painters and poets, scholars and writers, would tell tales of the light that lit up the night sky.

For Asami, it was a sight that she would never forget. Especially with a person whom she could  _ never  _ forget.

Korra turned, and smiled at her. You ready?

Asami looked at her, and smiled back. I think so.

Sometimes, gestures could speak what words couldn’t say.

They stepped into the vine-wrought crater, the massive portal a mere hundred meters away. Asami breathed. Not everyday you got to journey into the Spirit World, rife with unknown dangers and unpredictable topography. There was no denying the knot that squirmed in her stomach. 

But the warm presence beside her.

Asami would go anywhere with it. 

She reached for that warmth, and clasped Korra’s hand in hers.

They walked as one towards the portal.

Asami’s mind worked. Did she pack enough food? She didn’t expect to be staying too long. Right? What if there was rain? Or snow? Or they ran out of water? Or lost total track of time because this was the Spirit World, and it made absolutely no sense?

Korra’s eyes shifted from the portal, to a different kind of beauty beside her, and her heart fluttered. 

But she hid a frown. Asami had that look on her face. Couldn’t hide it, it was there. 

She was thinking.

Dread crystallised, and Korra tried to focus on the portal. 

Asami was always thinking though. 

Another glance. 

Crap. She’s thinking extra-hard. Spirits, was she too hasty in wanting a vacation? Too obvious that she meant to-

The portal towered, pulsing and bright. Without the other knowing, each woman shook their misgivings away. They both stepped in, bathed in warm light, both hands tightly grasped.

Korra stared at Asami.

Asami stared at Korra.

Two hearts lifted.

In a sensation that words could never explain, they were transported into a different realm.

And greeted by an entirely new world.

* * *

 

“Wow.”

“Wow, indeed.”

“No, I mean... _ wow _ .”

It was safe to say that Asami was impressed.

Soft grass stretched an emerald sea. Green, red, and orange played careless tag in the sky, creating colors that would dazzle even the most renowned artist. Warm wind, sweet with the scent of meadowgrass, teased strands of hair across Asami’s face. Spirits flew above, tails fluttering. 

The air shimmered with so much  _ energy _ .

The Spirit World was alive. Pulsating. A living, breathing thing with its own vital heartbeat. Asami’s skin tingled with an excitement unknown to her since-

Since…

Since she and Korra had gone looking for airbenders.

The thought melted her to her core.

Korra cleared her throat. 

Asami snapped out of her reverie. Korra was already a few paces ahead.

“Well, are you going to stand there all day with your mouth open, or are we gonna start exploring?”

Asami shook herself. Vacation. Spirit World. With Korra.

Korra, who was looking at her all wide-eyed and adorable, with that grin on her face...

Asami shook her head. This could get dangerous. “I’ll choose the latter, thank you very much,” she said, catching up with Korra. 

Who was now a tiny figure in the horizon.

She blinked. “What the-”

In a blur of blue, Korra was at her side again. “Spirit World magic,” she grinned, wiggling her fingers like she had the magic touch.

Her eyes went wide. ”How did you do that?”

Korra shrugged. “The Spirit World’s funky. Where the mortal realm is bound by physics, here, it’s emotion that controls things. It’s ever-changing. Wow. I sounded like you for a second,” she said, grinning.

“How does that explain you teleporting miles away in less than a second?”

She pointed a finger, up. “See the sky? It’s bright and- I dunno if you’d call it sunny because-” She looked around. “...because there is no sun,  _ but  _ it’s nice and warm because I’m excited.”

Asami smiled. “It’s been forever since I’ve seen you excited.”

She grinned. “Well, get used to it!”, then reached out a hand to Asami. 

Asami reached out, then darted the second Korra was distracted. “Race you to the tree!” she laughed, her voice reaching a very stunned Avatar.

“Oh, you viper-snake!”  And Korra was off, running after her devious sneak of a friend.

Asami laughed and upped her speed, her legs pumping with the adrenaline that only sheer excitement could give her. Her combat teachers used to make her run laps around the race track during practice, and she  _ loved  _ it. The freedom of movement, the perfect synchronisation of two legs working together as smoothly as two cogs in a machine, the release of breath like a heat generator. She laughed again, the wind spreading her joy all across the Spirit World.

Asami felt alive. Elated. Excited. When was the last time she-

Something  _ whooshed _ beside her and Asami almost tripped, because Korra was flying past, seated on her  _ airball. _

“Korra-!” Asami sputtered, hair in her face.

“Can’t hear you, catch you up at the tree!” Korra yelled back. Asami growled,  then laughed, and chased her.

* * *

 

Korra was seated in a meditation position, fists firmly pressed together, eyes closed peacefully, when Asami staggered under the tree, hands on her knees. 

“You...Avatars…” she heaved out. She made it to Korra, and collapsed against the trunk.

Korra quirked an eyebrow. “One should know better than to disturb the Avatar from her meditation. It is one of her core duties, after-”

She sputtered, hands batting at her mouth where Asami had thrown a clump of grass. She shot her a glare that melted as soon as she laid eyes on Asami. 

“One should know there’s always a punishment for cheating,” Asami said, crossing her arms. 

“To be fair, it was a race. And I  _ was _ racing you.”

“One should also know when to use her Avatar powers in a fair and just manner.”

Korra huffed, pushing herself up from the grass. “I was competing against my best friend in the race of my life. It was critical to the face of the world that I win.” She grinned, at the way Asami tried not to, then raised her hands. “I acknowledge my deception, though.”

Asami nodded. She was steadily breathing now. “Good.”

“But I still won.”

Korra got a glare for her smugness, and laughed. “Kidding! How’d you learn to run like that anyway? I’m not sure I could’ve kept up with you without my airball.”

Asami smiled. “My combat teachers. Turns out a race track is just as good for a pair of legs as a car.”

“Ahh. Smart. Bet they based the Satomobile’s speed after you, eh?”

She winked, and Asami snorted.

“I can't believe I missed your dorkiness so much.”

Korra grinned. What a thrilling sensation it was to make Asami blush. “One of my specialties. Now, let’s go somewhere.” She held out a hand. Instantly, Asami narrowed her eyes. Korra laughed. “For real, Asami.”

The engineer softened. “I’d love to.” She took hold of Korra’s hand, and they began to stroll through the grass.

* * *

 

Asami had been smiling. Was currently smiling. A lot. She didn’t know if it had ever dropped, or if it could get any bigger. 

But it did. 

It grew every time she looked at the woman in front of her. 

Korra looked back, and gave her a smile of her own.  Asami blushed. She hoped the sunset would cover it up. With her pale skin, she’d always been a terrible blusher.

“You know what I just noticed?” Korra said, glancing back at her again.

“Hmm?”

“Your hair. It’s always so nice.”

More blushing. Asami tried to hide it with a frown, holding up a section of her hair. “Is it? We just walked through a bramble hedge and it got absolutely destroyed.”

Korra laughed.  “Modest as always, huh? No, really, you always look beautiful.” 

Asami breathed. Korra tilted her head. “Not sure if I’ve ever said that before." At least, out loud... 

"I mean, it’d be crazy if I never have, because, well.” She indicated Asami. “Look at you.”

Asami tucked in a strand of hair, looking down. She had always been one to receive compliments, but Korra was rarely one to give them. “Thank you.”

Korra chuckled. “Sorry for making you  feel self-conscious, Asami. It was something I needed to say.”

She shook her head, blushing. “Korra, you better stop being so sweet before I turn into a tomato.”

Korra grinned wickedly, and turned back to the den of trees. “Success! The all-mighty CEO of Future Industries has crumbled into a fruit!” She pumped her free hand into the air. “My greatest victory yet!”

Asami just rolled her eyes. “Spirits, you’re such a dork.”

But her heart leapt at the fact.

* * *

 

The two women now faced a wall of green. Oak trees stood sentinel to long shadows. The wind whispered a soothing welcome. It was close to sunset, and the sky was burning orange. 

Throughout their trek, the two women had amassed quite a following of admirers. Small spirits, with flowers on their heads and who shuffled more than walked, now bustled around the womens’ legs, popping up with questions:

“Oooh! Who’s this with Korra?”

“Wow, you’re tall! And pretty!"

“You’re beautiful!” 

“The Avatar brought  _ her _ !” 

This particular spirit caught Asami’s attention. She crouched down. 

“Hi there. My name’s Asami.” She smiled, pointing a finger at her chest. “Who are you?”

The spirit giggled, a cute little chitter. “I’m Bep!  _ I  _ already knew who you were.” She...he...it, (Asami decided on calling the spirit an it), it smiled hugely, flapping its tiny arms from side to side. Spirits, Bep was adorable.

Asami felt Korra crouch down beside her, smiled at how they were still holding hands. “Hi Bep. How did you know who my friend is?” She smirked at her. “You’re so famous.”

Asami rolled her eyes. “Speak for yourself, Avatar.”

Bep’s smile grew ear-to-ear, and Asami thought the poor thing might explode with happiness. “It was dark and scary a few days ago. Rain and wind and bad things. But then Bep sensed warmth and light and the sky turned redandgreenandyellow!” It popped its hands up, waving them around and jumping up and down in excitement. “Bep sensed the Avatar was here because only the Avatar could do that. Bep also knew the Avatar was very happy because she was with someone she liked a lot!”

Asami looked at Korra. Korra’s eye was twitching.

“Like, a  _ lot!” _

Korra looked like she wanted to die.

“Well, Bep, you’re veeery smart, aren’t you?” Asami chuckled, taking her eyes off Korra, who was quickly reddening, then poked the spirit to a fit of giggles. “But this is my first time in the Spirit World. How could you know who I am?”

Bep waddled over to the Avatar, and plonked down in front of her. Korra raised an eyebrow.

“When the Avatar was at the Tree of Time, she searched for the light spirit that would make her whole. But it never came. The Avatar was angry in her tree for a long time because she was so alone. But Bep sensed the pretty girl, even though she wasn’t  _ reallly _ there. The Avatar was thinking about her so mu-”

“All right Bep, I think that’s enough story time for now!” Korra swept the little spirit up in her arms before it could say more, and hurried away from Asami, who stood there, blinking. She smiled.

Honestly, Korra wanted to chuck Bep far away into the next realm, but she didn’t think the Spirit World would be too happy with that. Think about what that’d do to their vacation!

Instead, Korra set Bep down and pushed it begone with urgent ‘shoo, shoo’s!’ The spirit giggled, and tried to dodge between her legs. Korra sighed, picked it up before it could waddle back again, and set it down, farther. She considered briefly, then hurried back to the crowd of little spirits, who were still staring, mesmerized, at Asami. 

“Come on then, off you go,” she muttered, herding them away, as they all collapsed in a ripple of giggles. 

“The Avatar has a lady friend!”

“They’re so cute together!”

"They love holding hands!"

A spirit screamed.

Korra sped toward the trees.

“ComeonAsami, let’sseewherethesetreesgo.”

“But I wanna know more about-”

“Nope, let’s go!” She grabbed Asami’s arm and dragged her into the forest.

* * *

 

“Nope.”

“Yep.”

“ _ No. _ ”

Korra laughed, adjusting her pack. “See you on top,” she said, before scampering up the ledge.

Asami grit her teeth, and followed.

“Miss I-Can-Fly-A-Plane-With-My-Eyes-Closed, you’re scared of a cliff?” 

She glanced at the sheer drop from cliff to water. She estimated in her mind. About a 50 foot drop, 10 second impact, wind speed’s low, so that’s good...10 second impact...

“You know I love thrill and adrenaline when I’m flying, but my planes are machines. With, y’know, controls and levers and buttons. Whereas here...” Asami shuddered. She suddenly didn't like the sound of ‘impact.

Korra waved a dismissive hand, and looked back at her. “Pfft, the Spirit World’s not gonna harm you while I'm here. I’m way too happy for that to happen.” She smiled, and Asami smiled back. 

This was Korra she was talking about. No matter where in the world she was, she would never feel safer than when Korra was by her side. With her. The thought was enough to warm her bones on the chilliest of nights. It surely did for three years.

But never mind all that now. Korra was here, and Asami was with her, and they’d talk about those three years after.

“Now,  _ this _ is a view,” Korra called, her voice snapping Asami out of her musing, and speeding her up to the cliff. She looked down, and her stomach flipped.

“Aaaand that’s a long drop.” 

She nudged a pebble and watched it fall.  She squinted. 

Yep, she actually couldn't see it any longer. 

“Oh man, Asami, I haven't been anywhere this high since cliff diving at the South!” Korra bounced on her feet, as she was _ten steps_ _away from the cliff edge_. “I remember being scared because I thought I’d di...but it was super fun!”

The drop was starting to make her dizzy. Asami’s mind whirled. “Ohhh...”

Concern flashed over Korra. “Hey, you okay?”

“Ask me that in a few seconds,” she groaned, holding her stomach.

Korra touched her hand, and Asami’s stomach did another flip that had nothing to do with the drop. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I just thought it’d be fun.”

She shook her head. “No, you’re right. It’s just...a very long drop.” She swallowed.

Korra squeezed her hand, tugging gently. “Mhmm.”

“I mean, I did do swim at my boarding school. But the boards were only 10 feet off the water.”

“Yeah.”

“And there was always someone nearby to watch. To keep the kids safe.”

“Right.”

“But I-” 

Asami paled. Korra grinned.

Without a word, she kicked off the ledge, sending both engineer and Avatar plummeting legs-first towards the water.

* * *

 

The wind ripped through Asami as her mouth opened in a soundless scream. They were falling,  _ fast _ . Her heart was racing, and this was an insanely high drop, and she shouldn’t be alive. But one look at Korra and Asami burst into laughter. 

The woman had her knees tucked into her chest, one hand in Asami’s and the other wrapped around her legs- ready to make a giant, Avatar-sized cannonball. She caught her glance, and immediately, her eyes crinkled in that adorable way that told Asami she was laughing way too hard. It was enough to calm her down, and the pounding in her chest was soon replaced by breathless air, and Asami forgot all about her fear, her worries, her father, everything-

The two women exploded into the water in a tangle of limbs, plumes of white water surging up like narwhalrus spouts. Asami was expecting a hard impact, but was instead cushioned into the fall. She floated, sluggishly, in a trail of bubbles, the water distorting at her ears. Before she could react, Korra’s hand wrapped around her waist, one hand batting at the water, and legs kicking up a storm. Nestled beneath, Asami opened her eyes, and caught her breath, to an underwater ethereal. 

Millions of fish flickered in silver darts. Green anemone rippled in waves. Coral gleamed like diamonds, distorted by the air bubble Korra had bent around them. Asami drew her hand out, as a school of fish swam past, and they brushed by like bullets on her skin.

They were in a separate world, their own personal bubble (literally, and- mentally, with the way Korra was holding her), immune to the rush and roar of the water. The only thing Asami heard was the kicking of Korra’s legs, and the pounding inside her chest, and how her mind was spinning- ridiculously, wonderfully-, out of control, and-

Korra smiled at her. Asami’s heart lifted so much she was sure it could buoy them both up. 

They could’ve made better time if she had swam, but she was content to just float against Korra and marvel at the water.

* * *

 

Korra was leaning back on her arms, looking as relaxed and content as if she’d just had a spa day. She was smiling, dreamily (quite apt, for she felt she was living in one right now). 

Asami wouldn’t be mad. At least, not too mad. She’d known it was a risk, but the look she had pulled off Asami, and the way her own heart was racing... 

Although, the sight of her climbing out of the lake-makeup smeared, water dripping in streams down her body- was almost menacing enough to wipe the smile off Korra’s face. 

Almost.

Asami made it to dry ground. A fish flapped in her hair. Grimacing, she picked it up, and flung it back into the water. Then she looked at Korra.

Korra would be lying if she said she wasn’t a little bit scared right now.

Her eyes narrowed. “Who knew you Avatars would be such a sneak?”

“I need to have something up my arsenal to compete with your genius brain.” She waggled her eyebrows.

“Twice you’ve tricked me. Cheating me out of a victory in that race, then pushing me off a cliff. What’s next, Korra? Are you going to-”

“Hey, Asami.”

“What?”

“You look beautiful, by the way.”

Korra grinned at the way Asami’s face flushed. Compliments. Spirits, she’s adorable with compliments.

She filed that to the back of her mind as a surefire way to silence Asami. 

Sure enough, Asami sighed, and dropped her hands in defeat. Korra grinned, as she flopped down beside her. She thought for a second, then scooted closer and wrapped her arm around Asami. Asami shivered, but huddled close.

“Thanks.”

“For what?”

“Pushing me off the cliff.”

She snorted. “You’re welcome.”

Asami nudged her shoulder, smiling. “Seriously though. Thanks. I wouldn’t have jumped if it weren’t for you. And I definitely wouldn’t have wanted to miss that.” She chuckled. The sound rippled through Korra like a wave.

“Why’d you hesitate?”

A shrug. “I guess I think too much.” 

“Mm. You’re too smart, ‘Sami.”

Asami snorted softly, and for a while, that was the only sound that passed through their memory. Instinctively- perhaps, unconsciously-, Korra’s arms tightened around her. Asami leaned into her touch. 

They sat, watching dragonflies skit through the chilling air. 

Korra was starting to wonder if this was too close, too soon.

Asami shifted, then. “Come on.” She pushed herself up. “We should camp soon. It’s getting dark.”

Nodding, Korra stood, and followed Asami through the forest.

* * *

 

Asami couldn’t have made the night sky more amazing if she had engineered it to be. 

Thousands of white stars sparkled, wrapped in a blanket of the deepest velvet. They glimmered mesmerizing patterns. A flash of grey, and a comet arced through the sky, its tail a wispy streak. 

Soft ‘oohoo’s’ echoed through the night. The grass tickled Asami’s bare feet. A few strands of hair blew across her face. 

She sighed happily.

Softly, Korra laid down next to her, hands resting on her stomach. The two stared at the night sky, together.

“This is the most peaceful I’ve ever been,” Korra murmured.

“Mmm.”

“I remember my second night in Republic City. I’d just finished my first match with the Fire Ferrets, and told Tenzin I was joining the team. He wasn’t too happy, but he accepted it.” 

Asami nodded. 

“I sat in the gazebo, staring out for the longest time at what I thought was the most beautiful thing in the world- the Pro-Bending Arena. It was all I wanted to do, to just be there, finally get a chance to do what I w anted, for once. In that moment, life was perfect.” She grasped Asami’s hand, on the grass. 

“But I think being in the Spirit World with you is better.”

Asami’s heart pounded. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be right now than here, with you too.” She closed her eyes. How long had she waited for this moment, hoped and wanted for it? How many nights had she stayed up, dreaming of this?

“Asami.”

“Mmm?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

“For not coming back sooner. For taking so long.”

She opened her eyes, catching a wistful look on Korra. “You have nothing to apologize for. You needed all that time to heal.”

Korra shook her head. “If I didn’t spend so much time tormenting myself, and had let you help me, I would’ve healed faster. Spirits, I’m sorry I pushed you away for three years, Asami. I didn’t mean to. I just- I needed to figure myself out on my own.”  She closed her eyes. 

This hurt. 

“Korra. Look at me.”

Korra did. 

Looking at Asami made her tremble. 

She squeezed their hands. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Yes, those three years were hard for me, but they were nothing compared to your pain.”

Korra shook her head, fiercely. “No, Asami, listen. I have to say this because it’s been building up in me for three years and I’m gonna explode. I was in a really bad place. A really bad one. I’d wake up everyday, and I’d hate myself for being so weak and broken. Hate myself for leaving the world. I was so angry all the time because I couldn’t be the Avatar I had to be.”

“Korra-”

“But do you know what I hated the most, Asami? What tore at me, every single day?” She laughed, shaking her head. She still couldn't believe it. 

“You were always by my side, before I left. Always being so strong for me. You never complained, or got impatient. You were just  _ there _ . Even down in the South, even when you weren't there, you helped me more than you could ever know. I can never thank you enough for that. And that’s what I hate the most.”

Tears streamed down Asami’s face. She wiped them away, shaking her head. 

Korra smiled, softly. “I know the Spirit World is just a vacation, but I hope it helps in some small way. You deserve every ounce of happiness there is in the world, Asami. And I’m going to make sure that you get it.”

Asami bit her lip, covering her mouth. If she could’ve opened it without crying, she didn’t know what she’d say.

Spirits, she came here for a vacation, not to cry.

“Can I say one more thing, actually?”

She nodded, not caring that she looked a mess. 

“You look so beautiful when you’re crying.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Those spirits are basically the Korrasami fandom. :)


	2. Beginning

Asami was usually good at keeping her emotions in check. But as of right now, she was crying.

And crying hard.

The tears flowed freely down her cheeks, plunking onto the grass slow drip after slow drip. She watched them fall, peripherals full of a hazy blue tensed with concern.

These same tears had not come easy for her father. They had been built up, corked and stoppered, trickling and weak, then released in a burst, and, suddenly, hastily patched up.

Well, they were out now, and Asami just realized how long she’d been holding them in.

Korra touched her cheek. She thumbed away a tear. “I missed you. So much. “I guess that spirit was right,” she chuckled.

Asami laughed. It came out watery.

Korra smiled. “I don’t really like making you cry, but there’s three years worth of unsaid things. And you might cry at some of them.”

Asami laughed again, and wiped the remaining tears away. “Save them for the rest of our vacation.”

Korra grinned, and brushed the last one away, with a gentleness that belied her strength.

“You okay now?”

Asami nodded, composed, and smiled. It trembled, but all the more strong for it.

“Good.” Korra pulled herself close, and wrapped an arm around Asami. Asami settled into her, her hair spilling softly onto Korra. She was still looking at the ground, but at least she felt at ease, somewhat.

And the fact that Korra made her feel that way- melted her, and sent her own heart racing like a Satomobile.

She used her free hand to prop Asami’s chin up. “Crying’s good and all, but I don’t really want you to miss this through your tears.” She pointed. Asami’s eyes followed, and widened.

Ribbons of light pulsed, sprinkled with stars throughout. They shimmered emerald green, not so far off from Asami’s eyes (the fact of which Korra absolutely loved.) The light washed over the Spirit World, flowing like liquid, as if it was not an otherworldly phenomenon. Green and blue eyes traced the patterns; their owners amazed and content.

Korra looked sideways, at Asami’s awestruck face, and smirked.

Asami’s words were synonymous. “Korra, there are so many of these...lights? Stars? I have no idea what they are!”

Korra chuckled, tremendously enjoying the weight of Asami on her arm. Asami tilted her head to lay against her shoulder, and Korra did the same.

“And the stars too! I wonder if there’s a machine strong enough to project images that high up.”

Korra blinked.

Asami was thinking again.

“Our industrial lights in the factory only extend a few hundred feet into the air, on ground level. We’ve only used them to signal at night, but I wonder... If we put them somewhere pedestrian, say- Harmony Park, then the public could really have some top-notch entertainment! I’d have to design a projector screen of that size, but think of the advertisements Future Industries could show-!”

Asami sputtered to a halt. Korra’s finger was pressed into her lips.

“Shh. No thinking. Watch.”

“But I am watching! Observation is the first step to inventing.”

“Non-thinking watching only. Genius-ness needs a break from time to time.”

Asami laughed, but relented. She gasped suddenly, shooting a finger out to her left. “Korra!”

What both women had mistaken for stars were now moving. They bloomed, to a radiant yellow.

Asami breathed. “Fireflies.”

“Fireflies.”

They buzzed around, in windless patterns, as if a child was directing them through the air. The ones farther away were fuzzy, orb-like; the ones in front, a dazzling delight. Around and around they flew, bright as their namesake. Then, with a collective shudder, the bugs scattered to the right, blown away as quickly as they had materialized.

“This doesn't happen while I’m not here, by the way,” Korra whispered, knowing full well that was not the case.

Asami laughed. Her breath tickled Korra’s neck. Korra shuddered.

“Just, you know. Avatar Korra, bridge between two realms.” She threw a hand into the air, and twirled it magnificently. “She has some sway in the Spirit World.” A comet streaked past at that exact moment, a cosmic approval of her point, and she finished the flourish with a grin.

Asami rolled her eyes. “Is there anything you don’t have an effect on?”

Korra just laughed.

The two fell into a comfortable silence after, silently searching the sky for far-away lights. Nearby, trees rustled; a ring, around their meadow, as if to shield any intrusion on this moment.

And indeed, it was a precious moment.

Asami closed her eyes, just. She’d hoped Korra couldn’t hear how hard her heart was beating, but now she wanted it to burst through, envelop them both.

She nestled into Korra’s shoulder, and nuzzled, there.

Korra breathed. She hardly dared to; a breath felt too powerful for a moment like this; a glass castle, balanced on stilts. Precious, and priceless.

But it only reminded her of how alone, how just-the-two-of-us, they were, and affection swelled like a wave.

Korra looked at her, and resisted the urge to plant a kiss. That wouldn’t be right, to do that so unassumingly, with Asami’s eyes closed.

Their first kiss should at least be seen by both of them.

She stopped.

Their _first_ kiss?

She blinked, again. Slowly, she raised her hand, gently resting in the nook between Asami’s waist and torso, to her hair. She stroked, making sure they were light, and soft.

Asami hummed, to her ear. Korra felt her both lean into, and relax, underneath her fingertips.

“You want to hear a tale about these Lights? Mom used to tell them to me all the time.”

Her head moved, barely.

“Okay. There was once a god named Tian, who ruled the Northern Water Tribe. He protected his people from disease and invaders, and they loved him. For eons, he ruled over his land, and watched how a couple of tiny huts expanded into a village, then into a tribe, and then to a nation. And that was when Tian realized the one thing he was missing.”

“A staff?”

“What? No. Gods didn’t have staffs, they had super powerful bending.”

“A Sato-owned conglomerate?”

Korra smirked, and flicked her ear. “No. He was missing love.”

“Ah.”

“Ah, indeed.” She took a deep breath, because Asami lying next to, _on_ , her, like this, was making her…

She continued.

“Tian was pretty lonely, up in his little Northern Tribe. Poor guy. Then, one day, he saw a goddess on the other side of the world, in the Southern Water Tribe. Tall and beautiful, flowing black hair. Gentle. It was love at first sight. But Tian was too far away to talk to her because, well, they were halfway across the world. Frankly, he wasn’t even sure if she had even seen him, but he was determined to find out.”

“And then what happened?”

“The sky erupted with light, one day. Just thousands of waves shimmering across the night, like the sun had exploded. Illuminating the world all the way from the North to South, and this gave Tian an idea. He used the light to create a path, shaping them into stepping stones to walk from his corner of the world to her’s. And the funny thing is, they met halfway.”

“So, she did see him.”

Even pressed to her as she was, Asami’s breath was whisper. And yet, it crawled all over Korra.

“Yup. Her name was Tsuki, and she was just as shy. But, for that one day, Tsuki and Tian got to spend all the time they wanted with each other. But, by the end, the lights were fading fast. So, they made a promise to each other. Every year, on the day of the Spirit Lights, they’d walk across the world from their tribes to be with each other.”

“It wasn’t enough, was it?”

“No.” Korra shook her head. “No matter how hard they tried, Tian and Tsuki couldn’t be together on the other days of the year. They weren't supposed to. That’s why the elders say the Spirit Lights randomly show up sometimes. Just, flashes whenever one or the other’s love is so strong, it just slips past the laws of nature.” She grimaced.

“That’s all they could get. One day a year, in return for eternal love.” She shook her head. “How tragic is that?”

“It’s, very sad, yes.”

“Yeah. It is.”

Korra curled a strand of hair, behind her ear. She shifted, suddenly, and Korra made to loosen her arms. Asami stopped her.  

“It’s fine,” she said.

Korra, nodded, swallowing, and settled back down.

Silence did the same.

“I missed you, so much.”

“I missed you too.”

“I’m…” Asami started, then stopped, as Korra’s hand _just_ touched the back of her head. She breathed, then started again.

“Not a day went by that I didn’t think of you. Not one.”

“I know, Asami. Me too.”

Asami shook her head. “I don't think you do. It hurt, waking up every day, wondering if you were getting better or not, and not able to do a single thing about it. It was all I could think about. My best friend, hurting, all alone.” She closed her eyes, shivered. She didn’t mention the nightmares.

“I wasn’t alone though. I had my parents,” Korra muttered. The tremble in her voice showed otherwise.

“I know. But I wanted to be there, Korra. I _needed_ to be there. At first, I thought if I focused enough on my company, then maybe the pain would go away. It didn’t. It just numbed. Some days, I felt as mechanical and cold as the machines I was making.”

Korra’s heart clenched. A lump formed, in her throat. The thought of Asami, hurt and aching, because of her…

It tore

Asami’s voice shook. “It was the guilt that hurt the worst. I felt horrible, trying to move on with my life, when such a huge part of it was falling apart.” Her voice trembled. “You were falling apart.”

Korra wiped her face, the tears, burning. She was suddenly aware of how tight she was holding Asami.

“But then you came back. Alive, and maybe a little hurt, but alive _._ Back at Kwong’s, when I finally knew that you were okay…”

Asami smiled, tearfully. “That was the first time I’d felt anything in years.” She reached for Korra’s hand, squeezed it.

“Thank you for coming back,” she whispered. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if you didn’t.”

If you didn’t…

If you didn’t...

If you didn’t.

Korra rose, and pressed her lips to Asami’s.

They stayed there, hearts beating in tandem.

Korra pulled away. She breathed.

Asami smiled. “I was wondering when you were going to do that.”

She looked away, burning. “Sorry you had to wait so long.”

“Only three years,” Asami murmured, and rose up for another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos and bookmarks so far; they are lovely :)


	3. A Spirit's Request

For the first time in three years, Korra did not have nightmares.

The fact was stunning. It amazed her, as she opened her eyes, to light. Not cold, blank walls. Not black, empty skies.

Light.

She was pleasantly surprised to find she was not tired either. 

She was also pleasantly surprised at how unsurprising she wanted this to be.

The tingle on her lips. The settling of her heart. The smile on her lips.

The woman curled in her arms. 

Korra tightened them. She pressed a kiss to Asami’s forehead. “I love you,” she murmured.

They had fallen asleep some time after their first kiss. And the second. And the third. And however many more three years’ worth of lips had to say.

She still had one arm pinned under Asami- the other rested on her waist, the culprit to their close contact. Korra looked at her. Took everything in.

A twitch of the nose, as pollen floated through the air. Light, shined on her eyes, illuminating the beautiful woman inside. Slow rise of her chest, as nature gave her its breath. Then the soft puff as Asami returned it, now entranced, back into the world.

She looked an angel in sleep, and Korra could not be happier. Nor did she expect to be.

“You’re so beautiful,” she whispered, brushing her lips against her’s. Her toes, curled into Asami’s leg, tingled. 

Asami mumbled, and her eyes fluttered open, to a pair of blue. Immediately, Korra kissed her.

Asami smiled into it. “Morning.”

“Morning.”

They fell into each other’s eyes, and stayed like that for some time; Korra, smiling at her, and Asami, smiling back.

“This isn’t weird, is it?”

“Not at all.”

“Because I don’t usually stare at people this long.”

“Neither do I.”

Asami breathed. She traced a finger along Korra’s cheek.

“I almost forgot how beautiful you were.”

She leaned in. “I didn’t. There’s no way anyone could forget a face like yours.”

Asami blushed. She kissed her softly. “It’s a good thing we don’t have to rely on memories anymore.”

Korra smiled. Memories of Asami were all she had had for three years, and they were stained with regret and shame. They both tore, and filled her up; a double-edged sword, or your favorite addiction. Thinking of her reminded Korra of everything she’d lost. But also everything she had to gain.

A smile showed, again. “I’m already thinking of how embarrassing it’ll be to have me staring at you all the time.”

“I won’t mind,” Asami said, silkily. A fingernail rested, on Korra’s cheek, and she simply enjoyed it there. “I don’t think I’ll notice from me doing the same.”

This was Asami’s delight. She had spent the better half of three months stealing glances at Korra; cursory, quick- unindulged, before Korra had noticed. There hadn’t been a good enough reason to simply look, into her eyes, at her, without it being too awkward. Asami had picked up a pretty good profile of the side of her head, where her eyes  _ just _ sparkled at the tip, and an apt rendition of her face, from all the glances she stole.

Not that anything could ever replace the real thing, she cherished. 

It wasn’t that Asami had forgotten that Korra was beautiful. It was that she’d forgotten she was  _ this _ beautiful. 

She didn’t notice, until Korra’s fingers rested on the back of her neck, that she had been petting her hair- calm, and content, as she was.

She sighed.

“When did you know?”

“Hmm?” 

“How you felt?”

“How I…”

Korra chewed her lip. The exact emergence of her feelings was still difficult to pinpoint, because she had been in a difficult place when she realized it. Perhaps she had always felt it, and didn’t know. Or, she really had been an idiot, had ignored the feeling in her whenever she was with Asami- either drinking tea, playing (losing) Pai Sho, or sitting together at night, simply talking. Or, perhaps, her darkness had mottled it, blinded her to what she really felt. 

In that case, it was her fault, and she felt bitter for it.

She liked to think, though, that it had made her realize just how much she needed Asami. 

“The South,” she said, as she slid a finger through Asami’s hair, scratching lightly. “It took me a long time to realize it, and I was confused and so scared, but that was the one thing that made sense to me. Anytime I was falling too much, or hopeless, I’d think of you and everything would be better. Just the thought of you, calmed me down.” She chuckled. “You’re amazing. You saved me even when you weren’t there.”

She felt Asami’s neck press, gently, into her fingers as she leaned her forehead against her’s. The touch enveloped her as if Asami was. 

I love you.

She thought.

But something else left her lips.

“We should get going.”

“Mm.”

That sounded noncommittal.

Asami pulled herself away, pushing herself up and taking Korra with her. Asami stretched, as she took in the soft glow of the morning light.

And not minding at all that Korra watched.

Korra stretched, however. “So where do you wanna go?” she asked, leaning to one side as her arms arced in the same direction. The way the sun shined on Asami’s lips, the wind as it tossed through her hair, how the light just….and for once, she forced herself not to look away. 

How could she?

“With you.”

“No Asami, I mean-”

“Anywhere.” She smiled, at Korra’s blushing face, setting her foot down from a pose. 

This was getting hard. 

Korra didn’t mind.

She blinked, though. “That bush is shaking.”

Asami turned her way. “Should we be worried?” 

Korra shrugged, tromping to it. She kneeled down, her mouth in a tight line. “Who did this to you?”

It was a bunny spirit, its countenance and shape much like Bumju’s, except it was orange instead of turquoise. Two of its wings clipped in half, oozing out something yellow. It breathed sharply, thudding and halting. Although a spirit, it was obvious it was hurting a lot.

Asami turned to Korra. “You can’t speak spirit, can you?”

“No. I wish I could though,” she muttered, running her hands over the spirit’s fur. She glanced around them, and took in the broken branches and snapped twigs. “Poor thing must’ve fallen here while flying. Do you think it just got caught in a tree or something?”

Asami peered at the small scratches on its body, which was turning paler by the second. Confusion laced her concern. “It’s hard to tell if these cuts were from getting stuck in a tree or from falling. Maybe-” 

“Nooooo!” 

A tiny voice, squeaking and high, erupted from behind. To both their astonished eyes, a chubby spirit, that had leaves for ears, stumbled out from behind a bush. The cream-colored creature hobbled over to the fallen bunny, pushing its way between the kneeling women, and waggled its four arms in distraught.

“Webu, thank the Spirits I’ve found you, but oh my, you’ve been hurt!” It placed a trembling hand on the bunny, caring and doting, before spinning around to Korra and Asami, and as cute as (apparently) all small spirits were, there was fire in its eyes. 

“Did you hurt him?!” it mewled in an angry squeak, trying to cross its multiple arms (and failing, for they were far too short.)

Korra looked the spirit in the eyes. “No. We were just trying to help.” She smiled softly, and its anger seemed to ease. It stopped glaring at her, and glared instead at Asami, who reassured it with a smile of her own, then sighed and deflated into a heap on the grass.

Asami glanced at the quavering bunny again, who didn’t seem to have noticed its friend’s arrival. “Do you know what happened?” she asked. 

The spirit’s leaves rustled as it shook its head. “No, no, I don’t! Oh, I told Webu not to go. He always does such bad things when he’s angry.”

“Why was he angry?” she said, walking over to her bag to see if she had anything to help.

“I-” Hesitation stalled the leaf spirit, its face creasing into a frown. 

“We fought.” Its voice dropped. “Really, really badly. I don’t even know if we’re friends anymore.” 

Asami returned, a thoughtful frown on her face. “I did bring some ointment on the trip, but I don’t really want to see if the chemical ingredients can hurt a spirit. You never can know, for sure.” She held up a fistful of gauze pads. “Wrapping up the wound is safer.” 

Of course she brought stuff. She’s Asami. “I am definitely making you pack for me whenever I leave.”

Asami grinned, and started to unroll the bandage. She stopped, and placed a gentle hand on the leaf spirit, turning it around. “Hey. We never got your name.”

It looked up. Asami saw how tired it was, noticing the dark circles under its eyes. “Miku.”

“Nice to meet you, Miku.” She held a hand to her chest. “I’m Asami. That’s my friend Korra over there.” Korra waved a hand. “I brought some bandages to clean up your friend’s wound. Is it okay if I put them on?”

Miku narrowed its eyes, one hand protective on its friend. 

She smiled again, warm and full. “There’s yellow liquid coming from your friend’s wings. I’m scared if it keeps flowing, it’ll hurt him even more.” She displayed him the gauze. “You see this part?” pointing to the thin, mesh padding. “This soaks up all the bad liquid and helps bind the wound, so not as much of it can come out anymore. It helps, I promise.” 

Miku frowned, then nodded, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

“Thank you,” Asami beamed, and immediately wrapped the gauze around the wound. 

Miko looked guilty now more than ever. “Hey.” Korra lifted a finger to its chin. “All friends fight. What’s important is that they figure it out in the end. What did you two fight about?”

At the mention of the argument, Miku looked away from its friend. He’s got it bad, Korra thought.

“It was my turn to choose where to go next and I said the Willow Groves. Webu always knew how much I loved willow trees and I’d been dying to go there! But he insisted on going to the Infinity River because he was scared it’d dry up or something! But I said ‘no, Webu, rivers don’t just dry up’ and he told me that they do. So we argued really badly.” Miku covered its face with its hands and Korra could tell that it was on the verge of crying

“Webu left the next day,” it muffled miserably. “It was raining when I found out he was gone, and I knew he was going to be sick. The storm clouds were so dark that day and I got so scared.” Miku held itself tighter. Korra felt pity twist inside herself. “I’ve been chasing Webu for two days and he must’ve gotten sick and fell and hurt himself even more and-it’s-all my f-f-f- _ faulllt _ !”

Miku finally burst into sobs. Asami, who had finished binding and just ripped off the excess gauze, shared an uncomfortable glance with Korra. 

She tucked the gauze into her pocket and leaned forward, gently prying an arm from Miku’s face. “Miku. Korra and I are going to help your friend in any way we can.” She pulled down a second arm, soft touch and all. “What can we do?”

“You’d d-d-do that for m-m-me?” Miku stammered through a torrent of sniffles.

Asami nodded. “Of course we will. Now, do you know what this yellow liquid is?”

Miku sniffed once, loud and sad, but released its hands from its face. “It’s-it’s amberlet.”

“What’s amberlet?” Korra asked.

“Am-amberlet is what happens wh-when you get th-the Spirit c-cold!”

Her eyes widened. “Spirits have  _ diseases _ ?” 

Miku bobbed its head. Its leaves flopped miserably. “It all starts when you’ve been out in the rain for too long and the cold gets into your body. It breaks you down and starts taking away things-important things-inside you.”

Korra scratched her head. “So Webu is losing his soul or something?”

“No, Korra, look.” Asami pointed to the clipped-off wing, now wrapped in a bandage that was slowly darkening. She traced her finger down to the spirit’s head, touching the wings; brittle and black. “The disease isn’t just making him sick, but it’s taking away his wing.” She gave the base of the wing a gentle prod. A shudder radiated through Webu’s body, and he curled further into himself. 

Asami made a worried sound. “My guess is, this disease whittles down the muscles, weakening them. It seems like the roots of Webu’s wings have been heavily affected. I...can’t speak for the extent of the damage.”

Miku stood there, face crumpling, the words sinking in. 

Oh no.

The grass thudded as Miku flung itself face-first into the ground, its four arms splayed out and leaves in a woebegone droop. “Miku is a terrible friend. It let Webu get sick. It should’ve never argued with its best friend.” 

Korra and Asami exchanged a glance, both looking sympathetic, but determined. 

“Is there a cure?” 

“Mmrf,” came the reply.

“Put up one arm if that’s a yes, two for no.”

Miku flopped an arm up, then slammed it back down.

“Okay! What is it?”

Miku slumped onto its side, arms dangling uselessly. “Far far away, on top of a mountain Miku has no chance of reaching because Miku can’t fly or climb or do anything except make his friend sick.” It sighed. “I don’t like Miku right now.”

Korra gave a sympathetic smile and sat down, cross-legged. The image of herself on a yellow, coiling back popped, quite suddenly, into place. 

“You know Miku, I think I might know someone who can help.”

It sniffed, loudly. “Who?”

“A little dragon-bird spirit who really likes to fly,” Korra chirped, a little more nonchalantly than she should’ve. She smirked quietly to Asami’s raised eyebrow -since when did that happen?-, but kept silent. 

Miku cracked one brown eye open, wide in curiosity. “Can it fly to mountains?”

“ _ Especially _ to mountains.”

It pushed herself off the grass, its leaves rattling, as it bounced. “Then what are we waiting for, let’s go!”

“Now hold on a sec, Miku,” Korra said, getting up herself. “You gotta tell me where we’re going first.”

“No time, no time!” it chirped, busying itself with picking up Webu. “Mt. Makapu is really far away and we want to make it there before- _ oof!” _   Webu stirred, untroubled, as Miku squirmed beneath him.

“Mount Makapu, it is then!” Korra nodded, as Asami rushed over, collecting both a sick spirit and a squished one in her arms. “Now, where’s that dragon-bird spirit been?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I didn't really plan for Korra and Asami to have adventures with a spirit, but at least we get to see that cool dragon-spirit again!  
> Kudos and comments are very greatly appreciated and will make my day. :)


	4. Spirit Talk

When the hell had Korra ridden a dragon-bird spirit?

How much had Asami missed when she was in the South Pole, in the huts, whilst Korra had battled Vaatu?

But the bigger question was-

Where was it now?

After sorting out Miku (I’m okay, I’m okay!) and double-checking Webu for more wounds, they left the meadow, sleeping bags rolled up and campfire out. Not that they had really needed one yesterday, but.

Asami had been expecting to run through fields, swim through lakes, climb up mountains. Meet Iroh, and verse him in Pai Sho. Most likely befriend a spirit. But, this was important, and taking care of it was right.

Well. At least she was in the Spirit World for it.

Then again, she had to listen to Korra’s hollering.

“Oh dragon-bird! Where are you? Come out!”

They had been walking for about an hour, through an endless meadow (which the Spirit World seemed to be endlessly made of). Asami’s hand tucked into Korra’s, her other around the strap of cloth that was slung around her back. They’d decided to carry both spirits on their backs. Or, they’d opted to. After sobering up, Miku had been happy to tag along, and had decided to simply walk by Asami- always staring up at Webu, who was safely nestled on her back.

Whether or not this made Asami look silly was a moot question.

“My friends and I have to get to Mount Makapu and we would really like your help to fly us there. We’ve been wandering around for some time and one of them is hurt.” Korra squinted against the sun, covered her face with a hand.

Then she cupped both of them around her mouth, and let out a supersonic-

“HELLO?!”

Nature answered.

Korra sighed.

“C’mon, you helped me once before!”

She growled, kicking at the grass. “I wish I had a whistle or something.”

“He’s not Naga,” Asami smirked. She pecked her on the neck, and watched, as her skin reddened there. She grinned. Already, she was having an influence on her.

“Well, I wished we’d established a signal before he dropped me off,” Korra frowned, staring quite hard at the ground.

Asami giggled. “Spirits aren’t pets,” she said. “They aren’t supposed to follow you around like-”

She looked down, suddenly. Miku had just fallen against her leg with an _oof!_ He grinned, waved an arm.

“We need to find this spirit.”

“Here, lemme try something.” Korra closed her eyes. Her head bowed, just a little bit. Asami felt her palm relax into hers.

Then-

“Gah!” Her eyes flew open. “Doesn’t work. I can’t teleport us there.”

Asami tilted her head, as Miku clung onto her boot. “How do you...do that?”

“Just, you know, imagine. Think of where you want to be.”

“How do you know what Mt. Makapu looks like?”

“You know…” She blinked. Asami didn’t know. Neither did Korra. That was the point.

“So, we’re gonna have to walk. All the way to a mountain.”

“Yup.” Asami smiled, and squeezed their hands. “I came prepared to do that anyway.”

Korra grinned, and kissed her. She looked at Asami in full, catching the way the sack slumped around her shoulders, and the spirit tucked within, and snorted loudly. “If you were to tell me that we’d be babysitting spirits on our vacation…”

Asami snorted too. “Do I look like a power mom?” She rolled her shoulders, and Webu swayed a bit. Miku hugged her leg, burying itself into it.

“You’re warm!”

Korra bit back a laugh, then laughed. She kissed her again, shaking her head. “You’d be a hot mom.”

Asami grinned, waved her leg with Miku still on it. “And my children are gonna stick around me like this?” At the new height, Miku laughed and hung on for dear life. “Put me down, put me down!” it screamed, face smushed against her.

“Asami, you’re literally touching, like, three people here. Entities. I’m surprised you’re not actually a magnet.”

“Is that why you’re attracted to me?”

“Yeah, physics turns me on.” Korra rolled her eyes, kissed her again. “Nothing at all to do with your beauty, or your amazingness. Now c’mon, let’s get going. I’m already tempted to stop with the way you’re looking at me.”

Asami grinned, and let Korra lead her.

* * *

 

So far, the Spirit World had treated them well; it was a beautiful scenery. Mountains rose up before them, big and violet. Inviting, not dominating. Not at all like the second time Korra had been here, battling Unalaq in a landscape of death. Presently, it was a bright day, and although the clouds were out, they did nothing to diminish the sky’s blueness. It was like a shifting palette; the colors- still red, green, and orange- but mottled together all the differently. It was as if a painter streaked them across the sky, and then let nature take ahold of it.

There was a copse of trees to their right, and all throughout their walk, as Korra walked with Asami hand-in-hand (she was starting to get used to, and loving, this feeling), multiple spirits had dashed out of the forest to greet them. A lot of them ran out to say hi to Miku. He had climbed up Asami’s jacket, and now sat happily on her shoulder, legs kicking.

“Hey guys, what’s up?” It waved a hand to the group of spirits.

“Whoa!” A tree spirit waddled up to Asami’s legs, poking it with her branches. “Why is she so tall? Is she a tree too?”, its mouth in an awed ‘o’.

Korra held back a snicker, and ever so slightly, loosened the hand in hers, so Asami trailed back a bit.

Asami smiled, hesitantly. “Um, hi. No, I’m not a tree. I’m a human. My name’s Asami.” She nodded at Korra. “That’s the Avatar.”

Miku giggled. The tree spirit looked at her, and looked back at Asami. “Yeah. I know. But who are you!”

Korra’s eyebrows knitted, and it was Asami’s turn to snicker. She held a hand down, tickling its branches. “I’m from Republic City, and I run Future Industries. It’s a company that builds machines.” She smiled. “Have you ever heard of it?”

She giggled, and wriggled around as Asami attacked its sides. “No, but it sounds really cool! Do these machines help people?”

She hesitated, for a second, then nodded. “Yes. We build cars. They go _vroom-vroom!_ ” She ribbed an engine sound between her lips, and Korra, just as much as Miku and the tree spirit, melted like sun.

The spirit’s eyes widened. “Can we go vroom-vroom on it with you?”

Miku, ecstatic, slapped its hands against her shoulder in agreement. “Yeah, let’s do it!”

“I wanna go vroom!”

“VROOOOOM!” the cadre of spirits rippled.

Korra had a hand to her mouth. Her sides were heaving.

“Yeah,” Asami said, lightly kicking her in the leg. “Yeah, that’d be fun.” She gave them another dazzling smile, and a spirit swooned and fell down.

“But um, me and my friend have somewhere to be. We have to get-” An idea suddenly came to her. “You wouldn’t happen to know where Mt. Makapu is, right?”

Many of them nodded. “Uh-huh, we do! It’s just over there.” A peach spirit bobbed a finger to the east, towards a mountain.

“Oh, great! We were heading the wrong way, actually. Asami can’t navigate without a map,” she winked, and Asami rolled her eyes. “Thanks guys!”

She walked off, tightening Asami’s hand in hers, when a bunch of them chirped: “Wait we’re coming with you!”

“Uh.” She turned around. “Don’t you have something better to do?”

They shook their heads. “Nope!”

“Like, eat?”

“Nuh uh!”

Asami nudged her in the arm, gave her a look. A wide smile spread over Korra’s face. “Well okay. Come along if you like.”

* * *

 

Some spirits were simply amazed to watch. They sat at the edges of the trees, mouths agape in wonder, as Korra and Asami passed them hand-in-hand. Some pointed:

“That’s the Avatar and her lady friend!”

“Stop it, she’s a girl! She’s not that old!”

“Okay then, _girl_ friend!”

Korra blushed, and looked away before Asami could see.

Before they had even reached the spot of tree, spirits were lining up amongst the leaves. They oo’ed and aah’ed, and several went up for a closer look, then scurry back in amazement. One spirit kept running past them, sitting down in front, and simply gazing. Korra stepped over it every single time, but it kept keeping up.

“This is starting to feel like paparazzi,” Korra grimaced, edging away a rock spirit. A. Rock.

Asami agreed, and loved every second of it. Around her own two feet, she was buried in spirits. They walked happily alongside her, but a few had managed to jump up (surprisingly high) and tug at her hair. Miku was keeping up conversation with them, swinging its legs against Asami’s back.

“You are _definitely_ a mom.”

Asami smirked. “Stop it.”

A spirit had even tried to grab ahold of their linked hands, but Korra had shook it off. Now _that_ was hers. She wasn’t about to share Asami with anyone.

“So, Miku. Who named you? Like, how are spirits named? Do you guys have mothers and fathers?”

“Umm. Yes.”

“Okay. So do you guys just- plop out?”

Asami raised a hand, and rubbed her face with it.

“No. The Spirit World is our mother and father. It forms us.”

“Oh. So, like- help me understand this and tell me if I’m right.” Miku nodded. “You guys just form out of the energy that is the Spirit World? Like _fwoom_ , and you guys are there?”

Miku nodded again. “Mhmm. It’s like magic.”

“Huh.” Korra scratched her head, as Asami turned to her, “Did you really think spirits get pregnant?” Korra shrugged.

“Can the Avatar get pregnant?”

Uh. Korra ran a hand through her hair, scratching. “I don’t know. Probably? I’ve never heard of any that did, though.” She looked at Asami, who had been checking on Webu in the back. “Can you imagine Kyoshi or Yangchen pregnant?” She said, raising her eyebrow.

Asami snickered. “I can’t imagine Kyoshi ever getting _married_.”

Korra laughed alongside her.

Miku frowned.

“Anyways Miku,” Korra said, stepping over a hole, “how old are you?”

“5,000 years old.”

Her jaw dropped. “ _What?_ ”

It giggled. “I look young for my age. Webu’s 6,000 years old.”

Korra gawked at Asami, and met the same expression on her.

“I thought you were a baby, Miku!”

“Nope.” Miku pointed to a stubby old frog spirit with white hair. “Yeng’s the baby. He’s only been born for a month.”

“Ribbit,” Yeng echoed in a deep voice.

Korra blinked at her. “This is weird.”

“This is weird!” The other twenty-five spirits echoed.

“This is weirder,” the tree spirit, named Tree, squeaked. “We haven’t seen humans in here in years. Especially not exploring, and especially not _together_. How come you’re here?”

Asami smiled at Korra, who had blushed, and swung their hands together. “We’re here on a vacation. Korra suggested we take one, and we haven’t spent time with each other in a long time.”

“A long, long time,” Korra agreed.

“Yes.” Asami smiled. “We just got here yesterday.”

The spirits all looked at each other, mouths open.

“So that’s why the sky turned green yesterday!”

“Yep. The Avatar has a very strong presence here.” Korra ran a thumb across Asami’s knuckles, quite unexpectedly, and Asami stilled; but then, everything was unexpected with something so new as this. Asami relaxed. It was exciting.

Korra’s eyes widened suddenly. “Wait, can I change the color of the sky?”

“You mean, through emotions?”

“No, like- for fun.” She squeezed Asami’s hand. “Here, what’s your favorite co- why am I even asking that?” She closed her eyes, and within a second, the sky turned crimson red.

“Aaaah!”

“Turn it back!”

The sky settled back to its mirage. “Sorry,” she blushed.

Tree whispered to Yeng. “She doesn’t really know what she’s doing, does she?”

Asami let loose a rather gratifying smile, which both set Korra on, and off. “Let her off easy. She’s still pretty new at this.” She winked at her, and Korra just rolled her eyes as her heart recovered.

Miku tapped her shoulder then. “Look.”

The mountain was right in front of them, only a distance’s walk away. They could be there in minutes.

Korra punched her fist in the air. “Take that, dragon spirit! I got there myself!”

“A bunch of spirits helped-”

Korra kissed her silent. Asami didn’t argue. “Okay!” She looked up at the mountain. “So what are we looking for?”

“Oh, that’s not the mountain.”

“...What?”

Tree tugged on Korra’s boot, and pointed. “ _That’s_ the mountain.”

Korra looked up, at a tiny dot in the horizon, in the middle of a faint range of craggy shapes. Greens and blues wove in between, which meant there were many, many rivers and meadows to be crossed. Korra squinted. She could barely see it.

Tree pointed up again. “This is the mountain that starts the path to Mt. Makapu.”

Korra slumped.

* * *

 

Before long, the day was almost over. Sunset crept like a shadow, and bathed the land in gold. The lakes sparkled like diamonds in the light. Their shadows stood tall, extended and warped like giants. It would be nightfall soon.

Tree and Yeng had stayed close by, whilst the other spirits had riffled off, in search of better entertainment. One had stayed though; the rock spirit. It had legs, and waddled. Korra found it weird.

They were seated around a campfire that Korra had bent to life, the spirits huddled around. They had just finished dinner, and Korra had her legs tucked in, and before long, so did Asami. Korra opened her arms and Asami slid right into them, nestling against her chest without argument. Her heart beat like a flame; steady, flickering beat. It wouldn’t go out anytime soon.

Webu was settled closest to the fire, to thaw out the shivers- Korra had made sure of that. Miku sat next to him, hands around its chin as it doted.

“Hey, Miku.” Miku turned towards Asami, tucked beneath the Avatar’s arms. “How did you and Webu meet?”

“Oh. Well that was...1,000 years ago.”

They stared. Blinked once, twice, as it brushed a hand over Webu’s fur. “Webu was reaching for some fruit from the Cactus Tree, and he couldn’t get it. I saw him and stepped in, picked up a branch and poked it. It dropped, and we became friends!”

Spirits certainly had a...very simple form of friendship, Asami thought. It was endearing “Webu couldn’t fly up?”

“Nope. His wings had just shed.”

Huh. They were learning all sorts of things about spirits today.

Asami smiled then, as Korra pressed her lips to her head, and she leaned up into the touch. “You must be really great friends if you care about him this much,” she said, keening her chin into Korra’s arm. “It’s really nice to see.”

“Yeah.” Miku sighed. It flopped onto its stomach, a hand tucked into the blanket wrapped around Webu. “He’s my best friend. I love him.”

“What about you, Tree? How’d you meet Yeng?”

Tree looked at Yeng. “Tree doesn’t know Yeng. Tree just met him today.”

“Oh. So, you guys just, hang out with each other?” Korra asked.

“Yup!” Tree punched a hand to Yeng’s shoulder, who ribbit’ed. “Why, how do human friends hang out?”

“Well…” Asami looked up at Korra, who was smiling down at her. “Normal friends usually just talk, and eat together. Korra and I are different. We fight a lot, and beat up bad guys.” Korra smirked. “We do talk and eat together though.”

“You guys must be really good friends,” Tree said.

Korra smiled, big. “We are.” She tightened her arms around Asami, and kissed her head again. “Really good friends.”

She tilted her head. “Do friends kiss each other?”

Korra and Asami laughed.

“Okay. I’m going to sleep.” Miku yawned, and flopped over onto his side, tucking itself into Webu’s blanket. Tree and Yeng followed suit; Tree, going over and...standing next to a tree, and Yeng, closing his eyes on the spot.

“Well,” Korra said. “That was interesting.”

Asami chuckled, and buried her cheek into Korra’s arms. “It’s been an interesting day.”

Her fingers scratched at Asami’s sides; tiny little strokes, more like flicks. Asami felt her heart soar. “Are you tired?”

“No, not really.”

“Then why are you sighing?”

“Because, this is so nice…”

Korra laughed, and kissed her neck. “Get used to it, ‘Sami. I plan on doing this every single night from now on.”

She snorted, quietly, and closed her eyes. Her ears filled with the flickering of the fire. Her body filled with warmth.

Her world filled with Korra.

Korra held her tighter.

“Korra.”

“Hmm?” She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, kissed it, and nosed herself into there.

“I love you.”

Korra stilled, and Asami could feel her eyes  open.

A moment passed. Asami shifted, raising her head. “It’s okay Korra, you don’t have to-”

“I love you too Asami.”

She chuckled, slowly at first, then bit back a smile. “Did I just- surprise you?”

Korra sighed against her ear. She loosened her arms, so Asami could look at her. “No, not at all. It’s just.”  She pursed her lips. It was getting hard to look at Asami the way she was looking at her now.

Asami squeezed her hand. “Just..?”

She sighed again, and rested her hands on Asami’s arms, holding her there. “After Mako and I broke up, I was confused for the longest time. I’d thought me and him were the perfect match, and after seeing us blow up, it just showed me how much I don’t know about dating.” She chuckled, tracing a thumb across Asami’s elbow. “I mean, I basically declared that we were soulmates like, a week after meeting him.”

Asami smiled graciously. This moment didn't bring her discomfort, not anymore. Not like it had, when she was dating Mako. Which was a world away.

“Well, we all have our mistakes. Trust me, I learned a lot from my relationship with him too.”

“Well, yeah, but me and him ended up a total mess. Yours was at least repaired, somewhat. Leave it to the engineer to do that!” She barked out a laugh, and Asami almost kissed her for it. She should have.

“Anyways, after that, when we started hanging out...that was just friendship. And even _that_ was new. I’d never had a girl friend before and suddenly now I had someone to talk to about boys?” She chuckled, shaking her head.

Asami smiled, thinking back to their first car ride, where Korra had first spouted the line and her heart had leapt unexpectedly. “When I was in the South, I felt the same way I had when we were looking for airbenders. Like, this pulling, deep within my chest, and the way you’d look at me, and…”

Korra breathed, and forced herself to look at Asami. “I knew I loved you then, in the South, but how could I be sure. I was so broken, so-”

Asami kissed her. Korra kissed her back, hard. Asami pulled away, eyes sparkling. “Believe me, I spent ages running away from how I felt. It took me ages, just to realize how much you meant to me.”

Korra groaned, slumping her head onto Asami’s shoulder. “But I wish I hadn’t run away. If I hadn’t, then we could’ve had this…”

“Hey. Look at me.” Asami pulled her away, just enough. She smiled. “Love just takes time to sort itself out. It's confusing and messy, and I’m just glad you got through to it.” She tucked herself into Korra, arms gliding around her. “Although, now that I think of it, there was nothing easier. Nothing more simple, more clear, than the bare fact that I loved you.” She smiled. “Nothing.”

She felt Korra sniff, then open her arms. Asami twisted herself forward, laying her head against Korra’s chest. She settled like a breath in exhale.

“I love you,” Korra said.

“I love you too,” Asami answered.

And with that, they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah. I felt that our two girls didn't need so much angst, yet.  
> ...


	5. Beautiful

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: I've fully changed Tree to a female. Realized there were some pronoun continuity errors in there.

Asami woke up alone.

She groaned, her eyes still shut. Her hands scrabbled blearily for a certain Avatar, but she appeared to be alone.

Where was this woman? Asami had fallen asleep within her arms, warm and comfortable, and the most blissful thing she’d ever known-

Asami opened her eyes.

She was in a bed of flowers.

She looked, from side to side. Blinked. Did...the Spirit World just grow flowers like this or-

A plume of flowers exploded in front of her.

“Morning, Asami!”

Asami screamed, falling back, as the flowers slowly fell away to reveal Korra. _Korra_.

Asami spat, batting her hands at her face. “Korra!”

“Higoodmorning look what I did! Good thing we slept next to a meadow, eh?” She swept her arms out- completely, and utterly, proud- at the forest around them, as Asami took in the stems of many, many plucked flowers.

Asami looked down. She couldn’t even see her legs. She moved what appeared to feel like one of them, and a huge torrent of blooms cascaded to the side. She glared at Korra.

Korra stared back, then put her hands on her hips and grinned what was the most _adorable_ smile Asami had ever seen on her. Said glare evaporated, faster than water melted in sun.

“You were supposed to be sleeping next to me.” And, presumably, Asami would have been there, petting her hair, kissing her forehead. Spirits, she had really been looking forward to that.

“I was,” Korra said. “I spent like, 15 minutes just staring at you. Ran my fingers through your hair. That’s really fun to do, you know.”

Asami raised her eyebrow now, deciding to take this moment to fully appreciate Korra in her morning beauty.

Hair tussled. Flyaway bangs in a heap. More than a little dried drool on the side of her face.

But her eyes shone.

Spirits, did they shine.

“I look like a mess in the morning.”

“You look really cute,” Asami said.

Korra stuck out her tongue. “Flatterer.”

“Scarer!”

She laughed a wonderful laugh. “I was just _saying_...you know you snore when you sleep?”

Her eyes widened. “I do not!”

“You so do! It’s the cutest little sound ever. Your mouth just _barely_ opens, and your nose does the cutest little twitch.” She grinned, as Asami huffed.

Truth be told, Asami did not snore. At all. If Korra hadn’t been beside her whilst she slept, she wouldn’t know if the woman actually breathed. It was, indeed, this slightest sound of her sleeping that entranced her the most. The smallest, _barest_ , puff of sound, whilst the world turned around her. Unaware of what effect she was having on Korra. Unaware that, whilst she slumbered, Korra was falling more and more in love with her.

She blinked rapidly, as a bloom of flowers burst into her face. “Liar. I’ve never snored.”

Korra fell back onto her elbows, as Asami crawled towards her. “ And _I_ always wake up early.” She swallowed, regarding her. That was a very large lump she had just swallowed.

Asami was very near her now. “Good to know I’m special.”

“The special-est.” Korra smiled. Felt as if the sun was melting on her. It was only morning, right, how could it be so-

Asami fell over her.

“Hi,” she mouthed.

“Hi.”

Their lips found each other’s, and they kissed. Within a second, sense and space and reason disappeared, and Asami’s lips were all she felt.

The pure reality that she was with this woman- and Asami wanted to be here, with her-; Korra would be forever puzzled by it.

Her toes curled into Asami’s leg as the kiss deepened. Then, Asami put a hand to Korra’s neck, broke the kiss, only so she could look at her. A smile. “You’re beautiful.”

Korra laughed, nuzzling her. “You’re the one with all the make-up on.”

Asami made a sound between a scoff and a laugh. “I at least need makeup to feel pretty. You just wake up like that and look stunning!”

Now Korra was interested. She stared at her. “Seriously? You literally just got hit in the face with exploding flowers and you already look like a goddess! What’s your secret, ‘Sami?” She leaned in closer, until they were nose-to-nose. “Face mask? Permanent lipstick? Immortality?” she surmised, narrowing her eyes.

Asami laughed, and pushed her face away. “Where are the other spirits?”

She nodded, to where Tree, Yeng, and Miku all crowded around Webu. Presumably doting on him. Asami smiled. How adorable that was.

“How is he?” Korra asked, as they walked over. A finger grasped Asami’s, then, her whole hand. They hadn’t spent five minutes not pressed together as of this morning.

Miku sat with his hands smushed against his cheeks. But rather than looking sad, he appeared to be quite happy. “I think he’s getting better,” he muffled, brushing a finger to Webu’s cheek. “His color seems to be rushing back to his face, and he seems to be breathing better.” Miku turned big brown eyes on Korra. “It’s because the bleeding has stopped, right? Do you think he’ll get better soon?”

Korra smiled, putting her hand on the spirit’s head. “I do. He’s a strong little spirit. He’ll make it through.” Miku’s smile grew, as she ruffled his leaves, Yeng staring at her with a big, _ribbit-y_ bulge. “Don’t think there’s a way not to, what with you guys always next to him.”

Tree smiled, and reached a branch down, but before she could show her affection, Webu shuddered.

“Don’t hurt him!” Miku said, instantly batting her hand away.

Tree recoiled. “Sorry! I just wanted to see-”

“See what? You hurt him!” Miku kneeled over Webu, as he crawled further into himself.

“I’m sorry, I won’t touch him next time.” Tree stood back, rubbing her arm. Yeng cast a glance at her, and ribbited a mournful sound.

Korra and Asami shared a look.

“Should we get going?”

Miku nodded, hands on his knees, folded where he was on the blanket.

“Okay.” Asami reached down to pick up the spirit, but Korra stopped her. “I got him.” She smiled. Asami smiled back, watching as Korra wrapped Webu around herself, then took her hand. They continued towards the mountain, a million miles away.

* * *

 

Korra was tapping her fingers on Asami’s knuckles as they walked.

It wasn’t really anything; just a few, short taps of a couple of fingers. There was hardly a rhythm to it, but they thrummed across Asami as if she was the instrument herself. Her brain played along, trying to see if Korra had any pattern. _Tap tap, taptaptap._ Middle, index, ring. Sometimes her pinkie, if she was feeling particularly adventurous in the 10 minutes she was doing it. Korra probably didn’t even know that she was doing it.

She nudged her shoulder, just as Asami seemed to be figuring out a pattern. “Hmm?” She looked up, and grinned.

“Race you there!” Miku led the way as the three spirits tumbled to the edge of the river, heading for the rocks.

Korra looked sidelong at Asami. Asami returned the glance, and before she knew it, she was running.

Without hesitation, Korra followed, a wicked look in her eyes. It was a sizeable creek- it’d take some time to cross, but that was okay. A series of small rocks littered the water, and both women quickly sized up the situation, before diving in. Asami worked out her way through observation and calculation, judging distances and width and angles. Her brain pumped out numbers as easily as any thought.

Korra, on the other hand, lived by instinct. Her gut told her to go left, and so she jumped left. She felt the need to bound to the stone in front and, she did. Battle instincts. Both of them had that, but of course, Asami was more rigid in her calculations.

“Looking a little slow, Avatar!”

“I’m going easy on you- whoa!” Korra stumbled on one foot, as the rock beneath her began shaking. It shuddered, and began crawling away from the shore.

“Hey!” Korra shouted, as the rock paddled its way away from Asami, who laughed with delight. “Spirit!”

Glossy eyes looked up at her. “Mmmrrggghhhh.”

Korra cursed, working fast to airbend Webu across the water, then bounded.

Asami was a limb’s breadth away from the shore, when Korra collided into her.

“Oof!” Korra tackled her to the ground, tumbling into her. Asami laughed, as they rolled together on the ground, covered in grass and dirt.

Korra smiled, once they had stopped rolling. She kissed her deeply. Asami pulled away.

“You know I won, right?”

“Hmm?”

“I. Won.”

“Suits me,” Korra grinned, and kissed her girlfriend again.

* * *

 

She found it funny. The Spirit World was a mirage of color. The sky blazed blue. Orange clouds burst suns. Plump, red berries popped. Green was most of what she saw; in the grass, in the trees, even in the spirits.

But they could not match Asami's green.

So far, Korra hadn't found anything that could. There was emerald glitter in grass, moss-blanketed rocks, malachite sparkles in earthy veins, gentle mint _pops_ that bobbed on the heads of those tiny little spirits.

But there was none of Asami's green.

Nothing sparkled quite so bright. Not when a new idea popped into her head, as Korra sat in Asami’s garage, listening to her talk about her newest blueprint, or design, or- whatever. Nothing, not even her own Satomobiles, lit up as bright as Asami did. Korra hadn’t realized how much she loved her eyes. It was lucky they had only walked on grass so far.

They sat in a meadow now, as Korra examined her. Miku was trying to pick fruit, balanced on Tree, who was balanced on Yeng. All three spirits were bound to fall. Webu watched from a nearby spot of grass.

“Eh, eh,” Miku grunted, sticking out his tongue as his tiny hands scrabbled for fruit. “Ah!” He jumped up, clasping the fruit (why did this guy like fruit so much?), then toppled down onto Tree, knocking them both on the ground. Yeng ribbit’d, unscathed.

“It feels like we have a little Spirit family now.”

Asami laughed, laying her head on Korra’s shoulder.

“It does, huh?” She watched, as the spirits tumbled over one another, wrestling for the single fruit. “I thought you wanted just the two of us?”

Korra shrugged. “This is nice too.”

Asami smiled. “Yes. Yes, it is.” She kissed Korra’s cheek then, and flowers bloomed. Asami blinked.

“Did you see that?”

“Hmm?” Korra was busy threading her fingers through Asami’s hair, one hand wrapped around her head.

“That.” She kissed Korra again, and again, the field of flowers seemed to stand up straighter. Glow brighter.  “Wow,” Asami breathed. “Why is that?”

“Kiss me again.”

Asami did. This time, Korra closed her eyes, humming. She smiled, softly. “It’s my heart. It feels warm whenever you kiss me.” She suddenly darted and planted a kiss herself on Asami. The flowers positively _shone_.

“Felt that too?”

“Yeah,” Asami murmured. “Feels warm.” Dizzy. Wonderful. Soft. Amazing.

Korra grinned. “Well, you’re an engineer. Shouldn’t we test this, give it a couple more experiments?”

Asami beamed. For the next few minutes, rainbow colors slashed across the Spirit World.

Miku, Yeng, and Tree were puzzled by this.

“What’s happening?” Tree asked, as she walked towards the two women, who were both smiling, and nuzzling their heads against one another.

“I hardly even know,” Korra breathed, into her lips.

Asami purred blissfully.

Tree rolled her eyes, then sat down to pick at her branches. Miku scrambled over.

“Hey, Tree.” Tree looked up. Korra had managed to look away from Asami, which in itself, was a pretty big accomplishment. “Do all trees have spirits?”

“Nope. Not all trees grow fruits, either.”

“So.” Korra breathed. Her eyes darted back to Asami’s lips, but she remained still. “So, not all trees are alive? Isn’t that...kinda...weird…” Asami giggled inside.

“Why are you always so red?”

“What?” Korra rubbed her face, as if that would make the color disappear.

“You’re always red when you’re around her. Are you a tomato, or something?”

“No, it’s just- She’s-!” Korra babbled, indicating Asami. “Look at her!”

Tree turned to look at her. She looked back at Korra. “Okay?”

Asami laughed. So not all spirits thought she was beautiful.

Korra was incredulous. “Do you not see how gorgeous she is? She’s the most beautiful person-!”

Asami silenced her with a kiss, and this time, the flowers glowed orange.

Tree cocked her head, as Yeng joined them too. “So, this is how humans show affection to each other? They touch each other’s mouths?”

“Well, yeah. It’s how we say we love each other. Why? How do spirits show their affection? Wait,” her eyes widened. “Do spirits even have relationships?”

Miku perked his head up. “You mean, being with other spirits? The way you are with her?”

“Yeah. Do you guys have that?”

Miku nodded. He chewed his fruit. “We do.”

Asami said, “I’ve never seen nor read about spirits and romantic relationships. That’s, very cool.”

“Yup.” Miku said, chewing slowly.

“How do spirits show affection?”

He suddenly became very pale. “We, uhh, hold hands, and...walk together…”

He was looking like a ghost. “It's okay, Miku,” Korra laughed. “If you're embarrassed, you don't need to tell us.”

Miku looked away. “Good.”

“Good. Well,” Korra stood up, not without kissing Asami one last time, “think you've had your fruit break,” and headed for Webu. Miku followed along.

* * *

 

“Well, this sucks.”

The tree in front of them was blocking their way. There was a forest they needed to go through. Damn it.

“Oh tree Spirit, can you please move?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No,” it rumbled.

Korra pouted. “Why not?”

“Because, all humans have ever done was burn down forests. This is my forest. I guard it. I get to say who goes and who doesn’t. Now, leave.” It was a very menacing tree, for the fact that Korra had spent 15 minutes talking. To a tree.

“That was thousands of years ago, spirit. I can assure you, I am not like other humans.” Korra promised, hands on her chest. “I’m the Avatar. I opened the portals to protect the Spirit World.”

The tree furrowed its bushy eyebrows. (Korra blinked for a second to the resemblance.) Looked at her more closely. “Hmm…” it rumbled, seeming to decide. “Okay. Then who is your friend?”

“Oh! That's Asami. She's pretty incredible.”

The tree stiffened its upper lip.

“And, uhh, she means no harm, of course,” Korra corrected, quickly blushing. Asami smirked.

Suddenly, the tree grew, lengthening until it towered over the both of them. It scrutinized them, a giant, brown eye on Korra. Then, it turned scrupulously on Asami, with a frown that would give Raiko a run for his money. Asami stood her ground, and looked straight back.

“Hmm,” the tree harrumphed, satisfied. “You are of the mortal world.”

“Yes.”

“There is little spirit within you.”

She hesitated. “Yes.”

“You are of machinery, and metal, and steel.” Asami nodded, agreeing. “Yet...you are of creation. And I can sense your heart is good.” Slowly, the frown faded, and it nodded. “You are of a good soul, human. I grant you passage in my forest.”

Asami clasped both her hands, and bowed deeply. “Thank you, Spirit.”

Korra smiled. Good to see _some_ spirits approving of her. Before she could take a step into the forest though, a branch blocked her way. “Do not think of bringing any more humans into here.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t.” Korra laughed. “Trust me.” She inclined her head towards Asami. “She’s the only one I’d ever want in here with me.”

The spirit grunted, then raised its branch to permit the two women passage. “Ah! One more thing!” It bent down to the tiny spirits. “No stealing fruit.” As if on cue, an orange, plump fruit dangled from its branches, right in front of Miku’s face. “This fruit is sacred to this forest, and this forest only. None may be taken. Is that clear?”

The three spirits nodded. Tree’s gaze was reverent as she asked, “How old are you?”

“I am older than a thousand of your lifetimes combined, multiplied by the age of the universe. _Do not mess with me_.”

Tree squeaked, and scurried inside.

* * *

 

Asami craned her head up, at the unnaturally lit forest. Translucent shadows played at the edges, softening her vision, because it never really seemed that things were _tactile._ The very edges of her vision were cloudy, and it seemed like the entire forest was mired in this illusionary perception. She peered at a rock, leaned out to touch it. Gasped. Solid, pure rock, but the outer edges were doused in fuzz. Perhaps a trick of the light, because of how bright this forest really was?

Korra nudged her shoulder, pointed her to a poppy-stamped path. Tiny footprints popped in the grass, as soft as ever beneath her feet. The forest seemed of an age back, an ancient ago, and Asami felt like she was in the past. Irrevocably, impossibly thrown back in time. Spirits, she’d known that, here, the Spirit World had no relation to the mortal realm’s perception of time, but to actively distort it?

She shook her head. Incredible.

Unnoticed by her, Korra smiled from the side. “What are you thinking?”

“Hmm? How do you know I’m thinking?”

“Your face. You do that thing.”

“What thing?”

“You know, that thing. Where you furrow your brow, and your eyes just sort of- distance away. But light up at the same time. You know?”

Asami did not know, and shook her head sincerely.

Korra laughed, kissed her on the cheek. “You’re adorable. Anyways, the thing?”

Asami fought to hid her blush, but she cleared her throat. “Does the forest seem a bit fuzzy to you?”

“Fuzzy, like?”

“Soft at the edges. Like things are only half real?” Asami reached out to touch a butterfly, in the air. Its wings were a transparent blue, showing the bark of the tree behind it.

“Do you think it’s the light?” she asked.

“That,” Korra said, stopping at a fork in the path, “is a good question. Which way, guys?”

Tree hummed, and pointed straight. Korra blinked. “Left or right?”

Tree pointed straight again.

“Tree, there’s no pathway there.”

“Sure there is.” Tree stepped straight through into the hollow that separated the two paths. Korra and Asami gasped.

“I’m all right!” Tree said, wiggling a hand. “Come in here, it’s really cool!”

“Oooh,” Miku gasped, as he was met with the sight of his dreams.

They were in a fruit meadow, where, literally, all kinds of fruit hung from the trees. Big, gaping fruit, some the size of watermelon, large enough to seriously hurt you if it fell; some, the size of a baseball; and some, little bigger than grapes. All were colorful though, and shone with Spirit World vitality. Maybe that was just because the air sparkled. Literally sparkled. Korra stared at a purple fruit and found it to be dazzlingly bright.

Just then, Korra stuck her hand out to pick the fruit, when Asami yelled, “Don’t! The tree said not to pick one!”

Korra blinked, slowly put her hand down, then hurriedly pulled Tree away from an orange-filled bush. “What do you think happens if we do?”

“Human combustion.”

“Ah. Better not have that then.” She hissed, looking at the smooth fruit. “Scandalous fruit.”

“Spirit World’s evil.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s out to get us.”

“Uh huh.”

A voice squeaked from nearby. “Umm, guys…”

Korra and Asami turned, and were horrified, as they watched Miku in mid-chew, the hand holding the fruit halfway to his mouth. Miku was looking bulge-eyed at the fruit  bush. “Why is it shaking…”

At once, the forest roared around them. Tree roots erupted from the ground, branches exploded, and leaves fumed all around them.

“Run!” Korra said, snatching up Miku and taking off through the forest. Asami sprinted along with her, scooping up the other two spirits and hightailing it out of there. As they ran, the fruits came to life with angry faces, and snarled at them.

Despite the situation, Asami began to laugh. Korra looked at her like she was crazy. “Why are you laughing?!”

“We’re being chased by a tree because we tried to pick fruit!” Asami laughed, her chest hurting.

“You’re ridiculous!” Korra yelled, but she was laughing too. Then, “There!” She veered towards an opening, and together, they ran for it.

“Pesky _HUMANS!_ ” The tree roared, snapping branch and root to claw for them.

“Jump!” Korra said, and they dived through the opening, which sealed shut as soon as they landed. The tree Spirit smashed into the barrier, then bellowed at them, shaking the entire forest. Then, it snarled, and quickly rushed back to its sentinel at the forest’s entrance.

Korra and Asami breathed, checking on all three spirits to make sure they were safe. Then, both of them laughed. The spirits all looked at them as they collapsed onto the grass, caught over by adrenaline and giggles.

Asami wiped her eyes. “This is our vacation, huh? Getting chased by trees and getting relationship advice from spirits.” Korra laughed, agreeing, as Asami ran a hand through her hair, then stopped. Her face sunk.

Korra blanched “What is it?”

She groaned. “Oh, my hair’s ruined,” and held up a sizable section, examining all the split ends and tangles from the branches. She tsked, “I’ll have to brush it out.” She made for her pack, but stopped, as Korra laid a hand on her arm.

Asami looked up, into those eyes. Then, Korra took her face in her hands, said “You’ve never been more beautiful,” and kissed her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :')

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave a lovely comment and kudos. <3  
> [My Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thewillowtree3): Shoot me a message if you happen upon it! :D


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